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Guinness Premiership champions Leicester have signed former Ireland fly-half Jeremy Staunton from Wasps.

Staunton (pictured) was one of four new signings announced by Tigers as they prepare to begin the defence of their Premiership crown in September.

The 28-year-old has been joined at Welford Road by hooker Joe Duffey, prop Robbie Harris and centre Billy Twelvetrees.

"Jeremy Staunton has been capped by Ireland and we are looking for that goal-kicking with Toby Flood being injured," said Tigers head coach Richard Cockerill.

"He gives us another experienced option in the backline positions and a proven ability as a goal-kicker."

Staunton has Premiership experience with Harlequins, London Irish and London Wasps, as well as five senior caps with Ireland.

He is well known to Tigers supporters after scoring 23 points in Wasps' Premiership victory at Welford Road last season, a record for an opposition player in a league match at the venue.

Duffey and Harris arrive at Welford Road from Nottingham while Twelvetrees joins from Bedford.

"Robbie Harris and Joe Duffey have done very well in National One and we have seen with Matt Smith this season that there is some real talent in that division," added Cockerill.

"Billy Twelvetrees is another to come from National One and has been doing really well with Bedford.

"They have not played at the highest level but we think there is huge potential there for them to grow within the Tigers environment, as many others have grown at the club."

Duffey, 27, joins Tigers after five years in two spells at Nottingham. He racked up 120 consecutive appearances up to the end of last season and was named player-of-the-season as Nottingham finished fourth in National One.

Harris, 26, can play on either side of the front row and has played for the Sharks in the Currie Cup in South Africa.

Twelvetrees, 21, returns to Tigers for his second spell after graduating through the club's academy.

He left for a successful season with Bedford in 2008/09, where he scored 18 tries in 28 National One starts and kicked 16 conversions and 13 penalties.

The Tigers also announced that their Ireland international full-back Geordan Murphy would captain the club for the forthcoming season.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport